Undertaker&#39;s device



Oct. 20, 1931. E. w. APPLING 1,828,585

UNDERTAKER S DEVICE Filed May 2. 1950 gwumtoz [xv/ 5775 WAPpLm a latented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES EVERETTE W. APPLING, OFJQILIN,MISSOURI unnnn'mxnra's DEVICE Application filed May 2, 1930. serial Nb.449,284.?

adjustable head rest secured to the pad,

whereby a convenient and eflicient support will be afforded for the headand the upper part of the body while the head 1s being washed, dressed,shaved, etc.

Another object is to provide novel means for adjusting the head restwhereby it may be easily placed and instantly adjusted to suitablepositions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the drawings, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention. Inthis showing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the devlce,

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view, parts being shown inelevation, and,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 indicates a pad preferablyformed of sheet steel or other suitable material and having its forwardextremity curved as indicated at 11. The area of the pad is suflicientlylarge to permit the pad to be placed beneath the shoulders of the bodywhereby a substantial portion of the latter will be resting on the pad.

A strip of metal indicated as a whole by the numeral 12 is bent toprovide a pair of arms 13 and 14, the lower ends of which are pivotallysecured to the pad as indicated at 15 and 16. The arms 13 and 14 arespaced aparta substantial distance adjacent their pivot points andextend inwardly toward each other to a point intermediate their ends,indicated at 17, at which point the space between the arms issubstantially less and the arms are then arranged parallel for theremainder of their length. Any suitable pivotal" connection may madebetween the arms and the pad. As shown, portions of the pad'are punchedupwardly to providebearings between which the ends of the arms arefitted and pivot pins 18 extend through the bearings and arms as will beunderstood.

Adjacent the upper extremities of the arms. a head rest 19 preferablyformed of a curvedi piece of sheet steel or other suitable material isadj ustably secured to the arms. As shown, portions of'the member 19 arebent downwardly, to fit against the outer surface of the: arms and apivot bolt 20 extends through; these portions and the arms. A wing nut21 is threaded onto the bolt and it will be apparent that the nutprovides means for secur ing the head rest in selected positions about;the pivot-bolt 20. I

At a point between the head: rest and? portion of the arms indicated;by-the numeral 17 a connecting member 22 isv arranged betweenfthe arms.As shown in Figure 2, member is provided with a relatively sharpupperedge'23. j

Pivotally secured substantially centrally of the width of the pad 10 isa supporting tongue 24:.' The pivotal joint of the lower extremity' ofthis tongue'is substantially similar'to the pivotal connection betweenthe arms and the pad and need not be referred to in .0

detail. The-upper extremity of the tongue is curvedsubstantially asindicated at 25 and the innerface of thiscurved surface is provided witha plurality of teeth 26 arranged to.

be engaged by theconnecting member 22. In-

termediate'the lowermost tooth 26 and the lower en'dof the tongue anotch 27 ispro vided. p The operation of the device is as follows: Aspreviously stated the device is adapted for use in supporting the headand upperportion of a corpse while the head is being'prepared prior tothe injection of embalming fluid thereinto. The pad 10 is easily slidunder the shoulders and the head rest may be adjusted to desiredpositions to support the head. The upper end of the tongue 24 extendsbetween the arms 13 and '14; and the teeth 26 engage the member 22 tohold the arms in selected positions. Changes in the position of the headmay be instantly made y moving the tongue so that different teeth may beengaged by the member 22.

The notch 27 is adapted to engage the member 22 when the device ispacked for shipping. For example, when the device is to be shipped thearms 13 and 14 and the tongue 24: are moved until they are substantiallyfiat on the pad 10 and when in this position the member 22 will fit intothe notch 27. Thus the device is compactly arranged for shipping.- if

It will be apparent that I have provided a device which will support thehead in selected positions, will not interfere with the operations ofthe undertaker and whichmay be quickly and easily placed inposition andadjusted as desired. v

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subj oined claims. I claim V 1. I A'device of the characterdescribed comprising a body pad, a pair of spaced arms pivotallyconnected at one end to said pad, a head support adj ustably securedadjacent the other ends of said arms, the space between the portions ofsaid arms adjacent said head support being substantially less than thespace between the portions of said arms ad- 1' acent their pivot points,a member connected between said arms in the first mentioned space, and asupporting tongue pivotally connectedat one end to said pad, said tonguebeing'provided'with means for engaging said connecting member to securesaid arms in selected positions.

2. A device of the character described comprising a body pad, a pair ofspaced arms pivotally connected at one end to said pad, a head supportadjustably secured adjacent the other ends of said arms, a memberconnected between said arms intermediate their ends, and a'supportingtongue pivotally connected at one end to said pad, said tongue beingprovided with means, for engaging said connecting member to secure saidarms in. selected positions, said means comprising a plurality of spacedteeth arranged adjacent the other end of said tongue, said tongue beingfurther provided with a notch intermediate its ends toengage said memberto support the device in folded position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EVERETTE W. APPLING.

